


Chapter 3

by Anniss



Category: Octopath Traveler (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Spoilers for both their chapter 3s, Therion (Octopath Traveler) Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-20 22:34:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30011946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anniss/pseuds/Anniss
Summary: “For what it may be worth, I wish you wouldn’t have this outcome.”Therion and Olberic have a moment after their third chapters.
Relationships: Olberic Eisenberg & Therion
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	Chapter 3

**Author's Note:**

> Hi welcome to my first dip into Octopath.

Therion sat on some rock, barely peeking out of the ever-shifting sands, far enough away from Wellspring that he would be left alone, but not far enough that monsters would jump him. The blood hurriedly wiped into clumped sand was enough for him. There would be more, there was always more blood to spill, but for today Therion called quits. He was on break.

That was why he was sitting out here utterly alone desperately picking dried blood out from under his nails, a little break. He felt like he was breaking.

He was not even aware that Olberic was with him until the warrior announced his presence himself with a clear of his throat. Therion truly had to be out of it, then. He turned, and Olberic raised a hand at him, greeting and placation. 

“Apologies for the intrusion. I wondered if I may join you, it was not my intention to scare.”

Ah, so he must have flinched then, curious that he did not notice. “Sure.”

Olberic sat, generously far from Therion, giving him space where certain others were not always as considerate. His shoulders lowered, and with Olberic seemingly not eager to jump straight into chit-chat, he returned to his hands. 

They sat like that for a good while, Olberic taking in the sunset, seeming deep in thought. It was almost peaceful, save that Therion would have preferred to sit out here alone. It was less painful to rebuild when no one was looking. 

Therion’s gaze swept over to Olberic, who’s clothes were splattered with something dark red. Probably blood. It was darker than what was on him, under his nails. Apparently neither of them had gotten around to change yet. Therion kept picking under his nails.

“What’s that on your clothes there?”

“Lizardfolk. On yours?”

“My replacement.”

“Ah.”

Olberic clearly did not understand, but Therion was infinitely grateful that he did not push. Therion refused to pick the conversation back up and busied himself with his nails. He had to remove the dark brown, he had to make sure it would not stick there forever.

“For what it may be worth, I wish you wouldn’t have this outcome.”

“You wish mine would have ended like yours, then?”

Olberic landed him a look that made an old part of him want to raise its hackles and run, but the newer one that had grown met it defiantly. The look turned… Mournful. Therion had expected pity.

“No, never would I wish for you to reconcile with whomever had this effect on you. I simply wished a better ending of your mission than this.”

“Huh. Uhm. Thank you,” Therion managed, gaze defecting from the warrior. “Did yours end better then, or have you come out here to sulk with me?”

Olberic let out a huff of laughter, short, and shook his head.

“Better than yours is likely not a high bar to overcome.”

“Good, then?”

“How about we settle on satisfying?”

“Sounds good to me. Sorry I couldn’t be there, lizardfolk must surely have been… Fun.”

Olberic levelled him with an unimpressed stare. Therion managed a wobbly smile. 

“Not the part that was satisfying then?”

“No, not exactly.”

“Did Erhardt give you your closure then? Your past finally behind you, and all that?”

The stare turned strange, and the longer it took Olberic to answer, the more Therion wanted to squirm.

“Yes, much as I cannot forgive him for what happened, I move forwards now,” Olberic said, and his gaze turned to his own hands, freeing Therion.

“So, it’s none of him on your clothes?”

“Pardon? Heavens, no. We duelled, but I did not cut him down. Not being able to give him my forgiveness does not equate to ending his life. We are… Friends now, I think.”

“Hm.”

“Again, I do not believe I should be an example, in this case.”

Therion curled, knees drawn up and arms resting crossed under his shawl, wedged between stomach and thighs. Something gnawed at his brow, a pain behind his eyes. He annoyed himself like this. 

“I know.”

“Truly?”

“Yes, truly. If I know one thing about myself, it is that I shall never offer friendship again to him. I know how to work independently, Olberic. If you hold trust in me, believe me when I say our paths shall stray in this regard.”

“I believe you.”

Therion did not quite know what to do with that and did not even know why he did not know. His head fell forwards, pressing his brow to his knees, allowing himself this weakness as another could be on guard for him. The trust was mutual, then, at the very least. 

“If not to sulk, then why did you come? I’m not the best company,” Therion said, muffled behind his scarf. 

“To check on you. I’m simply assuaging the worries of your companions from your mission today, and my own.”

He wanted to scream, he wanted to kick and bite and tell Olberic to fuck off, and couldn’t he see that Therion did not need to be coddled? He also knew that at the same time he was embarrassingly thankful for it and wanted to cry it out and get this shitty feeling over with. He was seriously done with wallowing and feeling gross and disgusting, but it was not just something he could brush off like a few grains of sand on his knee. 

There was a smooth crackle of sand shifting and being compressed differently, as Olberic moved closer. 

“I fear I have little to offer but comfort. May I?”

“Yeah,” Therion said, and could manage no more as his voice turned thick.

A moving circle at his curved back, slow and steady. If Olberic noticed his shaking, he was kind enough not to mention it. They merely sat there, two fools confronting their ghosts, and once again Therion held the shorter straw.

If he could, he would tell Olberic, he would vent and rage and just maybe the shackles of grief would not be so heavy to carry alone, but just like in the cave his words would not come out. They got to echo inside his head instead. So easily had he been stumped, not a chance of chewing _him_ out as he deserved. _I recall you having wittier comebacks, mate._

“You’ll get another chance at it.”

Therion startled and turned his head just enough to look up at Olberic. Had the man grown the ability to read minds?

“I hope I haven’t misjudged, and I apologise if I do, but if you wish to take the man down then I believe you hold the power to do so. There will be another attempt, we will help you ensure just that. At least, I know that I shall assist you, but if I have become a better judge of character over the years, then I believe I am not alone in that either.”

“Thanks,” Therion croaked, vocal capabilities degraded but there again. Then his stomach rumbled, ignorant of anything but the lack of food in Therion’s stomach. Therion flushed as Olberic snorted at his misfortune. Rude.

“Accompany me back to the tavern for a meal? I haven’t eaten since this morn,” Olberic said, smiling.

Therion relented with a nod. He was hungry, after all. 

After they had both gotten to their feet, and Therion had wiped his face in his scarf, he levelled Olberic with a wary glare. 

“No mention of this to the others.”

“Of course, I shall be silent as a mountain, you have my word.”

“Thanks.” 

He believed Olberic.

**Author's Note:**

> The parallells and differences have been driving me insane, that's why I just sat down and cranked this out in one go. Hope you enjoyed!


End file.
